The Chelsea High boys track team traveled to Greater Lowell last Thursday to face an undefeated opponent in a match that would determine the 2011 Commonwealth Athletic Conference champion. The Red Devils arrived at this showdown after defeating Shawsheen Tech 79-57 earlier that week. Both squads competed intensely throughout the day in what proved to be a championship-caliber meet. With the 4 x 400 relay as the final event, Chelsea maintained a narrow 66-65 advantage. The relay, worth five points to the winner, would ultimately decide both the meet and the league title. Greater Lowell’s relay team finished faster, securing the race, the meet, and the championship for themselves. “The meet was close throughout and very exciting and nerve racking. Unfortunately it wasn’t the result we wanted,” noted CHS head coach Don Fay, whose Red Devils suffered their first dual meet defeat since April of 2007, ending a remarkable streak of 31 straight victories. Leading Chelsea’s scoring efforts was Norbert Simon with four first-place finishes. Simon cleared 5-6 in the high jump, recorded 19-5 in the long jump, ran the 100 meter dash in 11.36, and completed the 200 meter dash in 23.1. His 200-meter performance earned Simon a spot at the State Meet scheduled for Memorial Day weekend at Bridgewater State College. Chelsea’s other winners included Christian Ortega in the shot put at 40-1; Rony Gomez in the discus with a personal record heave of 111-2; and Luis Hernandez in the 110 meter high hurdles at 17.47. Second-place finishes were recorded by Luis Hernandez in the high jump; Troy Crossley in the triple jump at 36-8; Santos Hernandez in both the 110 meter high hurdles and 400 meter hurdles; Joseph Arroyo in the two mile at 11:24 and the mile at 5:20; Francisco Colindres in the 800 meters; Walter Cortez in the javelin; and Brandon Rath in the 400 meters with a personal record time of 57.9. Providing crucial third-place points were Juan Achar in the discus at 97-10; Luis Hernandez in the 400 hurdles; Troy Crossley in the 200 dash; and Brian Pliego in the javelin. “It was a very difficult loss, but we will be ready for Saturday’s league meet where we will have a chance to defend our league meet title and avenge our loss from last week,” Fay added. “We have come a long way in the last couple of years. We are now 34-2 over the last five years. We expect to win now when we have a meet.”
Red Devil Trackmen Fallin Last Event to GL
